Hurricane Dorian closings in Sumter, Lee and Clarendon counties
Clarendon 2 and 3 schools dismissing early Wednesday, closing Thursday; Sumter to remain open
This GOES-16 satellite image taken Sunday, Sept. 1, and provided by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows Hurricane Dorian, right, churning over the Atlantic Ocean. Hurricane Dorian struck the northern Bahamas on Sunday as a catastrophic Category 5 storm, its 185 mph winds ripping off roofs and tearing down power lines as hundreds hunkered in schools, churches and other shelters.
Sumter School District will remain open Wednesday, Sept. 4. A Facebook post from the district said they are monitoring Hurricane Dorian closely in conjunction with emergency management. If there is a closing or delay, they will make an announcement on social media, through print, television, and radio media and the district's telephone notification system. A decision regarding the status of school for Thursday, Sept. 5 will be made by 3 p.m. Wednesday.
Wilson Hall will be open on Wednesday. Administrators will make a decision about Thursday on Wednesday.
Francis Marion University classes are canceled through the duration of the hurricane, beginning at 12:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Classes will resume dependent on the storm's impact, and notification will be provided through email, the FMU website and the Swamp Fox Alert System.
Residence halls will remain open during this period, and food service will be provided
The Clarendon County Council on Aging, 206, S. Church St., Manning, will be open for normal hours on Wednesday, but it will be closed on Thursday.
Clarendon County Administrative Offices will be open at 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4. The administration will make any further determinations after a 9 a.m. meeting and will announce updates subsequently.
Clarendon Hall will dismiss students at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 4 and will remain closed on Thursday, Sept. 5.
McLeod Health is offering free TeleHealth visits for convenience and safety during and after the storm. Tuesday, Sept. 3 through Sept. 15, residents can use McLeod TeleHealth for free by entering the coupon code "DORIAN." McLeod TeleHealth allows people to visit a doctor online 24/7 anytime, from anywhere – on their laptop, phone or tablet. No appointment is necessary, and visits are private and secure. Individuals can sign up for free by downloading the McLeod TeleHealth app in the App Store or Google Play. They can also visit McLeodTeleHealth.org.
City of Manning, Town of Turbeville and Town of Summerton offices will be open on Wednesday, Sept. 4. City officials will decide Wednesday about any future closings.
Laurence Manning Academy will close at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 4 and will remain closed on Thursday, Sept. 5.
As of now, Central Carolina Technical College is operating on a normal schedule.
Clarendon County School District 1 will close Wednesday, Sept. 4 at noon and will release information on Thursday's schedule on Wednesday.
Clarendon County School District 3 will dismiss early Wednesday, Sept. 4 and be closed on Thursday, Sept. 5. Walker Gamble Elementary will dismiss at 11 a.m. and East Clarendon at 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.
Clarendon County School District 2 schools will dismiss early on Wednesday, Sept. 4:
- MECC: noon
- MPS: 12:10 p.m.
- MES: 12:20 p.m.
- MJHS: 12:30 p.m.
- MHS: 12:40 p.m.
Students will receive lunch before they are dismissed. Staff will be dismissed at 2 p.m. There will be no school on Thursday, Sept. 5.
Shaw Air Force Base is currently at a HURCON 3, which means the base is expecting destructive winds within 48 hours. Hurricane preparation conditions start at HURCON 5 and go through HURCON 1 before moving to HURCON 1C, which means take caution because winds of 40-57 mph are occurring. Then, there would be HURCON 1E, which means emergency because 58 mph sustained winds or 69 mph gusts or greater are occurring. HURCON 1R means recovery.
There are no plans to evacuate personnel from Shaw as of Tuesday morning, but civilians will be authorized administrative leave starting at noon on Wednesday as the base transitions to having only mission-essential personnel on duty. Speak with your supervisor with any questions regarding work hours.
Shaw facilities, services and gates are open but operating under weekend/holiday hours.
According to the base's website, several areas of Shaw have the potential for flooding during heavy rainfall:
- The inbound lane of Shaw Drive at the roundabout at Friendship Chapel
- The area between the library and main fitness center, flooding out into Shaw Drive and covering the street to the dorm resident parking lot
- The north end of the flight line on Sweeney Road
The University of South Carolina plans to remain open this week and classes will meet as scheduled. The current forecast for Columbia calls for limited rainfall and wind associated with Hurricane Dorian. If conditions or the forecast should worsen, the university will adjust plans accordingly. In the meantime, any updates will be posted at www.sc.edu/weather, on social media and Carolina Alert. Normal campus services will remain available, including dining, health services and access to the library and recreational facilities.
South State Bank customers who are impacted by mandatory evacuations will have their ATM fees refunded if they use another bank’s ATM through the time the evacuations orders are in place. The South-rooted bank recommends having cash on-hand in case of power outages as a result of the storm. The bank currently lists closures in the Beaufort, Charleston and Grand Strand regions in South Carolina and Savannah region in Georgia. For a complete and updated list, go to https://www.southstatebank.com/hurricane-update/#closures.
The AFCENT pre-deployment brief scheduled for Sept. 4-5 has been cancelled. For questions, contact Senior Master Sgt. Misty Moreno.
Morris College classes have been suspended through Wednesday. All faculty and staff should report to work on Tuesday. Students are asked to pay close attention to your Morris College email, local news media, and official Morris College social media pages for information regarding when classes will resume. If you are a student and will be remaining on campus, please see your residence hall director to check-in. If you are a student who will be exiting the campus, please see your residence hall director to check-out. Residence hall directors will provide students with information regarding procedures during the inclement weather.
Students with any further questions can contact Dr. Davis-Freeman, Dean of Student Affairs, at (803) 934-3217. All other inquiries can be sent to the Office of Public Relations, morriscollegepr@gmail.com
For a list of currently open emergency shelters in South Carolina, visit the South Carolina Emergency Management Division's website.